Wooden drawers are quickly starting to fall to metal and plastic drawers in homes all across the world. The main reason for this is that wooden drawers have an awful tendency to stick when the humidity changes inside. There are a few simple ways to fix this, though, and the good thing about these tips is that they also apply for other things around the house - wooden doors and windows also stick from time to time, and can be helped the same way that drawers can.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Assessing the Cause

  1. 1
    Make sure that the drawer is sticking due to humidity. This article is aimed at those occasions when humidity is causing the drawer to swell and stick. Obviously, if the culprit of the sticking is a loose screw or splinter, this won't help and you'll need carpentry repairs instead. If it turns out to be something else, simply remove the obstruction or mend it.[1]
    • Check for loose parts or missing screws. If there are none, check for objects blocking the drawer.
    • If none of the first things seem to be causing the problem, look for swelling (bulging). There may even be moisture present. And consider the humidity levels of the room the drawer is in––anywhere near showers, baths, cooking areas, etc. are likely to have higher humidity than other parts of the house. Or, if you're in a humid climate or season, the entire house may be humid, which will affect your furniture.
  2. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Fixing Kitchen and Bathroom Drawers

Kitchen and bathroom drawers require a bit more work, since the soap will not help much.

  1. 1
    Clean the drawers first. Wipe them down with a damp cloth, and try to remove all dust. (If you've been using the soap method, use a putty knife to remove the built-up soap).[3]
  2. 2
    Spray the drawers with a silicone-based lubricant. Like the soap, this is not permanent. The lubricant will, however, last longer, and it won't build up as much as the soap will.[4]
  3. 3
    Clean up! This is extremely important if you use the silicone-based lubricant. If you accidentally sprayed anything other than the drawers with the lubricant, clean it up as soon as possible! It will make the floors very slippery, and if you do not clean it up quickly, it will be nearly impossible to get out. (If you don't trust yourself with the spray, put newspaper down before you spray anything at all).[5]
  4. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    What is silicone spray?
    Dvortygirl
    Dvortygirl
    Community Answer
    It's a liquid lubricant, sort of like oil. You should be able to get it in most hardware stores. Don't use it on painted surfaces or on any surfaces you have to handle. Also don't use it on any surfaces that will come in contact with food.
Advertisement

Warnings

  • Clean up the lubricant immediately or it may not come off areas where you have spilled it.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • Basic soap (for example Dial, Ivory) - no oils or lotions
  • Silicone-based lubricant.
  • A washcloth.

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 137,144 times.
147 votes - 86%
Co-authors: 12
Updated: October 23, 2022
Views: 137,144
Categories: Furniture Fixes
Advertisement